Study Desk

Praise the Lord .^[a](b) Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good;^(c) his love endures forever.^(d)

Who can proclaim the mighty acts^(e) of the Lord or fully declare his praise?

Blessed are those who act justly,^(f) who always do what is right.^(g)

Remember me,^(h) Lord , when you show favor⁽ⁱ⁾ to your people, come to my aid^(j) when you save them,

that I may enjoy the prosperity^(k) of your chosen ones,^(l) that I may share in the joy^(m) of your nation and join your inheritance⁽ⁿ⁾ in giving praise.

We have sinned,^(o) even as our ancestors^(p) did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.^(q)

When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought^(r) to your miracles; they did not remember^(s) your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea,^(t) the Red Sea.^[b]

Yet he saved them^(u) for his name's sake,^(v) to make his mighty power^(w) known.

He rebuked^(x) the Red Sea, and it dried up;^(y) he led them through^(z) the depths as through a desert.

He saved them^(aa) from the hand of the foe;^(ab) from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.^(ac)

The waters covered^(ad) their adversaries; not one of them survived.

Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.^(ae)

But they soon forgot^(af) what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.^(ag)

In the desert^(ah) they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness^(ai) they put God to the test.^(aj)

So he gave them^(ak) what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease^(al) among them.

In the camp they grew envious^(am) of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord .

The earth opened^(an) up and swallowed Dathan;^(ao) it buried the company of Abiram.^(ap)

Fire blazed^(aq) among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.

At Horeb they made a calf^(ar) and worshiped an idol cast from metal.

They exchanged their glorious God^(as) for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

They forgot the God^(at) who saved them, who had done great things^(au) in Egypt,

miracles in the land of Ham^(av) and awesome deeds^(aw) by the Red Sea.

So he said he would destroy^(ax) them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach^(ay) before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised^(az) the pleasant land;^(ba) they did not believe^(bb) his promise.

They grumbled^(bc) in their tents and did not obey the Lord .

So he swore^(bd) to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the wilderness,^(be)

make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter^(bf) them throughout the lands.

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor^(bg) and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;

they aroused the Lord 's anger^(bh) by their wicked deeds,^(bi) and a plague^(bj) broke out among them.

But Phinehas^(bk) stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.^(bl)

This was credited to him^(bm) as righteousness for endless generations^(bn) to come.

By the waters of Meribah^(bo) they angered the Lord , and trouble came to Moses because of them;

for they rebelled^(bp) against the Spirit^(bq) of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.^[c](br)

They did not destroy^(bs) the peoples as the Lord had commanded^(bt) them,

but they mingled^(bu) with the nations and adopted their customs.

They worshiped their idols,^(bv) which became a snare^(bw) to them.

They sacrificed their sons^(bx) and their daughters to false gods.^(by)

They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons^(bz) and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.

They defiled themselves^(ca) by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted^(cb) themselves.

Therefore the Lord was angry^(cc) with his people and abhorred his inheritance.^(cd)

He gave them into the hands^(ce) of the nations, and their foes ruled over them.

Their enemies oppressed^(cf) them and subjected them to their power.

Many times he delivered them,^(cg) but they were bent on rebellion^(ch) and they wasted away in their sin.

Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;^(ci)

for their sake he remembered his covenant^(cj) and out of his great love^(ck) he relented.^(cl)

He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.^(cm)

Save us,^(cn) Lord our God, and gather us^(co) from the nations, that we may give thanks^(cp) to your holy name^(cq) and glory in your praise.

Praise be to the Lord , the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!"^(cr) Praise the Lord .

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Give thanks to the Lord ,^(a) for he is good;^(b) his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed^(c) of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

those he gathered^(d) from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.^[a]

Some wandered in desert^(e) wastelands, finding no way to a city^(f) where they could settle.

They were hungry^(g) and thirsty,^(h) and their lives ebbed away.

Then they cried out⁽ⁱ⁾ to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

He led them by a straight way^(j) to a city^(k) where they could settle.

Let them give thanks^(l) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(m) and his wonderful deeds⁽ⁿ⁾ for mankind,

for he satisfies^(o) the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.^(p)

Some sat in darkness,^(q) in utter darkness, prisoners suffering^(r) in iron chains,^(s)

because they rebelled^(t) against God's commands and despised^(u) the plans^(v) of the Most High.

So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.^(w)

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them^(x) from their distress.

He brought them out of darkness,^(y) the utter darkness,^(z) and broke away their chains.^(aa)

Let them give thanks^(ab) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(ac) and his wonderful deeds^(ad) for mankind,

for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Some became fools^(ae) through their rebellious ways^(af) and suffered affliction^(ag) because of their iniquities.

They loathed all food^(ah) and drew near the gates of death.^(ai)

Then they cried^(aj) to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them^(ak) from their distress.

He sent out his word^(al) and healed them;^(am) he rescued^(an) them from the grave.^(ao)

Let them give thanks^(ap) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(aq) and his wonderful deeds^(ar) for mankind.

Let them sacrifice thank offerings^(as) and tell of his works^(at) with songs of joy.^(au)

Some went out on the sea^(av) in ships;^(aw) they were merchants on the mighty waters.

They saw the works of the Lord ,^(ax) his wonderful deeds in the deep.

For he spoke^(ay) and stirred up a tempest^(az) that lifted high the waves.^(ba)

They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril^(bb) their courage melted^(bc) away.

They reeled^(bd) and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits' end.

Then they cried^(be) out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.^(bf)

He stilled the storm^(bg) to a whisper; the waves^(bh) of the sea^[b] were hushed.^(bi)

They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them^(bj) to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks^(bk) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(bl) and his wonderful deeds^(bm) for mankind.

Let them exalt^(bn) him in the assembly^(bo) of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

He turned rivers into a desert,^(bp) flowing springs^(bq) into thirsty ground,

and fruitful land into a salt waste,^(br) because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

He turned the desert into pools of water^(bs) and the parched ground into flowing springs;^(bt)

there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.

They sowed fields and planted vineyards^(bu) that yielded a fruitful harvest;

he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,^(bv) and he did not let their herds diminish.^(bw)

Then their numbers decreased,^(bx) and they were humbled^(by) by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

he who pours contempt on nobles^(bz) made them wander in a trackless waste.^(ca)

But he lifted the needy^(cb) out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.^(cc)

The upright see and rejoice,^(cd) but all the wicked shut their mouths.^(ce)

Let the one who is wise^(cf) heed these things and ponder the loving deeds^(cg) of the Lord .

A song. A psalm of David.

My heart, O God, is steadfast;^(c) I will sing^(d) and make music with all my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre!^(e) I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord , among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love,^(f) higher than the heavens; your faithfulness^(g) reaches to the skies.^(h)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;⁽ⁱ⁾ let your glory be over all the earth.^(j)

Save us and help us with your right hand,^(k) that those you love may be delivered.

God has spoken^(l) from his sanctuary:^(m) "In triumph I will parcel out Shechem⁽ⁿ⁾ and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.^(o)

Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah^(p) is my scepter.

Moab^(q) is my washbasin, on Edom^(r) I toss my sandal; over Philistia^(s) I shout in triumph."

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?^(t)

Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.^(u)

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down^(v) our enemies.